Like a rolling stone, a complete unknown, the hits keep coming with some really sneaky good music released as the year of the pandemic rolls along. The band Dawes is throwing down the breadcrumbs that will eventually lead us to a proper release later in the year.
The great Yusuf/Cat Stevens essentially does a duet with his older self on the newly recorded Tea For The Tillerman release.
And Rock is the New Roll favorites The Nude Party are releasing some gems wetting our beaks for their October 2nd record.
So, in short, it’s a great time for real music. Here are five newly minted coins that we really like this week.
Ace Frehley – Origins Vol.2
Never one to shun the limelight the spaceman, Ace Frehley, is back with a sequel of cover songs that once again demonstrate where his roots come and the Rock and Roll that influenced him. The Deep Purple epic “Space Truckin'” is a clear stand-out, and even his take on the Kinks “Lola” seems to work on some level. No atom-splitting here, but first, it is glad to see that Ace is still alive, and second, we all need a bit of old school Rock and Roll in our lives.
Matt Berry – Phantom Birds
There is a bit of a cosmic cowboy Americana vibe thrown heavily into the mix of Matt Berry’s highly likable new record, Phantom Birds. There are more than a few nods to Gram Parsons, most notably on “Where’s My Love” with a subtle lap steel whispering in the background, and, “You Danced All Night” carries the day. If he keeps putting out material like this Matt Berry may be less known as an actor currently starring in the television series What We Do In The Shadows and become more widely recognized as the great singer-songwriter that he actually is.
Babylon Circus – State of Emergency
There is nothing like a French Alternative Rock band to perk the ears and move the feet. Hailing from Lyon, France these poly maths cite their influences as The Clash, Toots & The Maytalls, Madness, and The Specials, and it shows on every eclectic track. Singing in both French and English, singer David Baruchel leads his group through the exotic landscapes of Ska, Django Jazz, and Gypsy Swing with enough coolness to cleanse the musical palate and send your ears on a journey to the center of your mind. “Monster” is a special feet moving epic that refers to a monster on the dance floor, and “Les Ouiseaux de Passage” will have you almost literally srtolling walking down the alleyways of Paris in the 30’s. This is mind-escaping stuff.
Cults – Host
With a cooly understated blend of Indie Rock and lo-fi Indie Pop, Cults, led by singer and multi-instrumentalist Madeline Follin have a certain charm about them that lies just underneath their brooding semi-dark musical exterior. The sound is expansive and intimate at the same time, if that’s even possible. The vibe is almost a less sexual Berlin on qualudes which may sound strange, but spend a little time with this record and tell us that we’re wrong.
Jealous of the Birds – Peninsula
Jealous of the Birds is essentially the nomme-de-plume of Northern Ireland’s Naomi Hamilton. Stradelling that delicate balance between anthemic and sublimeness to perfection, “Shiloh Chandra” is a subtle beauty and the soaring “Pendulum” stands out as a slow burn drive with a left turn on to the autobahn.
Rock Is The New Roll 